The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Paperback

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is a book written by Max Weber, a German sociologist, economist and politicians. Begun as a series of essays, the original was composed in 1904 and 1905. It is considered a founding text in economic sociology and sociology in general. In this book, *Weber argues that Puritan Ethics and ideas influenced the development of capitalism *The 'spirit' of capitalism does not refer to the spirit in metaphysical sense but rather a set of values, the spirit of hard work and progress. *Religious devotion, Weber argues is usually accompanied by a rejection of worldly affairs, including the pursuits of wealth and possessions. *Webber shows that certain branches of Protestantism had supported worldly activities dedicated to economic gain, seeing them endowed as moral and spiritual significance. This is one of the best of Max Weber's essays...deeply rich...a must read, for lovers of good writing.